7128 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Mental Health Nurse, School Psychology, Neurology
21 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
Abnormal Psychology
Definition
- abnormal Psych is the study of understanding, explaining and modifying abnormal
behaviours
- more than mental disorders (psychopathology) but often the focus
Who works in this field
- registered psychologist
- psychiatrist
- neurologist
- social worker
- pastoral counselor
- mental health nurse
- OT
- School psychologist
- Specialized allied health
Elements of abnormal behavior
- Statistical Rarity (infrequency)
o
oExtent of abnormal behavior
Anxiety: 14.4% in 12 month prevalence
oSchizophrenia
Lifetime: 1%
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
oDepression
Lifetime: 24%
oAny disorder
Lifetime: 45%
- Deviance or Norm Violation
oContextual deviance defines abnormality based on the social acceptability of
behaviours
Eg gender role expectations
Opponents: Thomas Szasz
- Distress
oSubjective psychological distress, such as suffering and a desire to change behavior
oIndividual assessment of their own abnormality, rather than societal
- Dysfunction or disability
oImpairment determined by how adaptive or maladaptive a behavior is determined
to be
oImpact on life and social roles eg work, family, friendships, health
- Some would also say; danger
oAssessment of harm to self or other
Contextual aspects of psychopathology: definitions, diagnosis and treatments
- Psychological disorders
oEmil Kraepelin
First moden diagnostic classification system in 1883
oDiagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders DSM
Originally: 1952
Currently: 5th edition in 2013
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find more resources at oneclass.com
o
- Specifiers and exclusions
oAll disorders include specific criteria for diagnosis
Eg not due to a medical conditions or substance
Causes clinically significant distress and impairment
Lots of caviets needs to be made before confirming a condition
- Diagnosis
oAssumptions of medical model
Abnormal condition
Caused by underlying pathological processes
oSyndromes
Cluster of symptoms with common cause and which respond to common
treatment labeled disorder
- Purpose of diagnosis
oAssists to describe
Cause
Behaviours (clinical characteristics and functional impairment)
Prediction (eg marital distress)
oAnd to
Communicate between professionals
Makes things move faster – as long as accurate
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Definition abnormal psych is the study of understanding, explaining and modifying abnormal behaviours. More than mental disorders (psychopathology) but often the focus. Who works in this field registered psychologist psychiatrist neurologist social worker pastoral counselor. Statistical rarity (infrequency) o: extent of abnormal behavior. Anxiety: 14. 4% in 12 month prevalence: schizophrenia. Deviance or norm violation: contextual deviance defines abnormality based on the social acceptability of behaviours. Distress: subjective psychological distress, such as suffering and a desire to change behavior, individual assessment of their own abnormality, rather than societal. Dysfunction or disability: impairment determined by how adaptive or maladaptive a behavior is determined to be, impact on life and social roles eg work, family, friendships, health. Some would also say; danger: assessment of harm to self or other. Contextual aspects of psychopathology: definitions, diagnosis and treatments. First moden diagnostic classification system in 1883: diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders dsm. Specifiers and exclusions: all disorders include specific criteria for diagnosis.
